


Fresh Sparks

by EmberAutumns



Category: Mystic Messenger (Video Game)
Genre: Angst, Asexual Character, Bisexual Female Character, Destroying the cult, Dimension Travel, F/M, Family, Feelings, Fix-It, Fluff, Happy Ending, Love Triangles, Magic, Multi, Nonbinary Character, Other, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Redemption, Romance, This is what happens when Wizards get bored
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-11-15
Updated: 2017-12-08
Packaged: 2019-02-03 01:14:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,713
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12738054
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EmberAutumns/pseuds/EmberAutumns
Summary: The Wizard was bored of his games. He'd seen thousands of people play his games, get their happy endings, and reset. They were all the same.“Simply adding a new player won’t work, they’ll simply be stuck with the same options. It’s more fun when it’s unexpected, more real.” His face lit up, at this revelation. “It needs to be more real. The game is too distant, none of their choices really matter, and it ends far too soon. It needs to matter.”





	1. The First Spark

The days had grown dull as of late, the wizard thought. He floated between the galaxies that made up the worlds he had influenced, searching for one that could hold his attention. He had been searching for weeks now for one that wasn’t simply looping through the same routes over and over again. His magic had allowed outsiders to influence these worlds through their actions, but every choice had been made now. He groaned and tilted his head back, watching the way his long purple hair floated around him. This was boring, and he wasn’t any good with boring. That’s why he was a wizard, so he didn’t have to deal with boring, everyday things. He needed to make things interesting again, but how? He had already introduced countless young women to his games, there wasn’t any more options they could choose.

“I suppose that means I need to make more options.” He muttered softly. “But creating options takes so much time, and they would run out quickly.” For all his power, he still needed to put thought into what he did. Magic was formless on its own, it needed to be guided. It took a creative mind and great focus to create anything substantial. He needed someone to make the options for him, so that he could be surprised.

“Simply adding a new player won’t work, they’ll simply be stuck with the same options. It’s more fun when it’s unexpected, more real.” His face lit up, golden eyes sparkling as sparks flew from his finger tips. “It needs to be more real. The game is too distant, none of their choices really matter, and it ends far too soon. It needs to matter.” Gravity righted itself and the Wizard slowly sunk the the ground. He stood tall, dark blue robes falling around his thin, gangly form. His lavender hair was quickly pulled back into a ponytail that easily reached his lower back. His eyes flashed and an appropriately tacky hat suddenly appeared on his head, tall and frankly absurd looking even if it matched his robes. A snap of his fingers caused golden sparks to shoot out, materializing into a long wooden staff, Golden vines twisting from the top down to cover the dark, lacquered wood, and at the very top sat a deep purple orb clouded with fog, much darker then his hair, but no less captivating. His robes and hat were slowly traced with gold in a disorganized, almost random pattern.

“If I want this to work I’ll have to look the part. A fresh spark ought to be able to liven up this story.” With that, he lifted his staff and pointed straight at one of his galaxies. Many of his players had likely grown attached to his stories. They should be easy to convince, and their foreknowledge would make them more likely to take risks and get involved. Hopefully it would also be enough to get them through some of the more… dangerous parts of his story as well. No story is complete without its dangers, but he much preferred a happy ending personally. He’d be responsible for his little spark, so he’d step in if things got too bad, but he’d rather he didn’t have to.

The Wizard had players from all over their world, and deciding where to start looking for his Spark was difficult. The Korean ones would have the easiest time adjusting to the change since the culture in his game mirrored theirs, but they were less likely to accept his offer. More likely they would assume he was crazy and ignore him. Even those who believed him likely led good lives here and wouldn’t want to leave. It would take awhile for him to find a suitable Spark.

America on the other hand, was filled with players who were likely to jump at the chance to leave and make poor decisions, but would struggle with a culture and language they’d never experienced before. He could fix the language barrier, but they would need to figure out the culture themselves. In the end, his boredom decided for him. He was too bored to spend weeks finding a Spark, so He’d just have to find someone willing to adapt to a new culture. He’d make it up to them somehow. 

* * *

Adrian was sprawled across the couch with a bag of chips and a cup of water as they messaged back and forth with their best friend Emma. They had finally convinced her to try out Mystic Messenger and they were excited to hear what she thought. While they were waiting for her to message back they heard a muffled pop followed by a knock on their door. They laid there for a second debating answering the door. On one hand, they weren’t expecting anyone, and they were dressed in their pajamas. On the other, they were fairly bored and Emma hadn’t responded in a while. Shrugging, they stood up and brushed the crumbs of their shirt. They’d answer the door, but they weren’t changing out of their fuzzy fox pajamas. They came over unannounced so they’d just have to deal with it.

Opening the door _may_ have been a mistake. A man with long purple hair dressed in a dark blue hat and robes that appeared to have been scribbled on with a golden crayon stood at their door with one of the biggest grins they’d ever seen, and he towered over them, easily over six feet tall. He might have been cute if it wasn’t for his sense of style, but to be fair they were wearing fox pajamas.

“Ah, Adrian Thompson correct? Player number 15,728, Completed every route only once, but made some pretty interesting choices if I’m not mistaken. I am the wizard, and I’d like to make a deal with you.” The man spoke with an odd accent they couldn’t quite place, and his eyes shined with excitement despite their odd color. Despite his oddities he didn’t seem threatening, even with his height, but he had known their chosen name and spoke as if they were in a game. Very few people knew their chosen name, they hadn’t had it legally changed yet and they hadn’t come out to most people yet. Most people still thought they were a girl.

Adrian believed in most things, they weren’t one to really doubt others. Even if this guy claimed he was a wizard and everything he’d said made no sense, he still knew their name. They were bored, and they wanted to believe that something exciting could happen to them. Maybe this guy who claimed he was a wizard would lead to something exciting. If he turned out to be as crazy as he sounded, they could always call the police.

“Alright, you can come in and talk about this deal of yours, but I need something to call you other than The Wizard. What’s your name?” The Wizard’s eyes widened, and his smile dropped a little. He shifted from foot to foot as he broke eye contact and glanced around.

He didn’t know what to do. Adrian was the first player to invite him inside all day, and now they were demanding a name. He supposed he could make one up, but he wasn’t going to lie to his spark. He had forgotten his name centuries ago. He was the wizard, and that was all he’d ever needed to be before now. His voice was soft as he responded, “I don’t have a name really. I’m just the wizard.”

Adrian hummed softly while they watched him. They didn’t really believe he didn’t have a name, but if he wasn’t going to volunteer it they couldn’t force him. After a few seconds of silent staring they spoke up, instantly grabbing his attention. “Well, I really can’t just call you The Wizard so we’ll have to come up with one. What about Keith?”

The Wizard blinked, wide eyed and startled. Slowly he unfroze and began to speak carefully. “You- You want to name me, a wizard with nearly unlimited powers, Keith?” His eyes scrunched up and his voice lowered, but not in anger. It was hard to tell what he was feeling. “Keith is such, such an ordinary name. Mundane, boring even.” He ran a hand through his hair, looked up, and began to grin. “It would be _utterly confounding_ wouldn’t it? Your friend tells you they want to introduce your friend Keith and out steps a wizard. You’d never expect it.” His smile grew and his eyes sparkled as he started bouncing on his toes. “I’d be unlike any other Kieth you’d ever meet. The most unique Keith. The Amazing Keith. You know, I doubted it at first but Keith has to be the most amazing name for me doesn’t it!”

Adrian grinned, a little stunned, but nonetheless drawn in by Keith’s reaction. They’d mainly suggested Keith as a joke but if it made him happy they weren’t going to stop him. Stepping to the side and trying not to laugh, Adrian announced “Keith it is then. Come on in then, and we’ll discuss this deal of yours.”

Keith beamed at the use of his new name and practically skipped into the apartment. Things were definitely going well with this Player. They were the first to let him in, they’d made unique choices, and he’d even gotten a name! They’d make an extremely unpredictable Spark, really, their potential was wasted as a Player. He’d have to make them see that. He quickly sat in the first seat he found, practically vibrating from excitement. Adrian quirked an eyebrow but chose not to comment, instead opting to go into the kitchen to make some tea. They didn’t make tea often, but they had a feeling they would need something to help them relax.

Keith watched as Adrian shuffled around the kitchen, and took the opportunity to look around. The apartment had a tv on the wall, and a wooden coffee table with stacks of games and an Xbox under it. Beside that was a black bookshelf with one shelf barely filled with books and DvDs. Knick knacks were scattered across the other shelves in an attempt to fill up space, and the bottom rows were filled with boxes marked clothes. The rest of the room was bare white walls and open floors, only broken by the single brown couch with another coffee table in front of it, with a bag of sour cream and onion chips and a cup of water sat on it. Everything was neat and clean, but there was no personality to the room. Not even a picture on the walls.

Adrian stepped out of the kitchen, carefully holding two steaming mugs. They held out one for a confused looking Keith, who cautiously took it and continue to stare at it like it was somehow not just a mug of tea. Adrian slowly sat on the other end of the couch and took a cautious sip from their own mug, which was definitely still too hot and still tea. Disgusted and in mild pain, they sat the mug on the coffee table and turned to Keith. He had looked up to stare at them, promptly looking back at his mug when they looked up.

Adrian lifted an eyebrow at his odd behavior. “It’s just tea Keith, it’s not going to hurt you. It’s just a drink.”

“I know that! Here, watch I’ll prove it!” Face a flushed a light pink Keith sat up straight before proceeding to chug the entire mug of steaming hot tea in a matter of seconds, before promptly dropping the mug and slapping his hands against his mouth. He stared at Adrian with a look of complete betrayal. “You said it wouldn’t hurt.”

Adrian stared at the man in blatant shock. “What did you expect when you chugged _an entire mug of hot tea?!_  You’re supposed to drink it slowly!” Sighing, Adrian rubbed their temples and leaned back into their seat. “Whatever, what’s done is done. I was promised an explanation, so get to it wizard.”

There were a few moments of silence where Keith just blinked at them, slightly hunched over. He straightened up, appearing oddly serious as he began to speak with an uncharacteristic calmness. “It started with the boredom. I'm a wizard, enough focus and knowledge and I can bend the world to my whims. So of course when I got bored I wanted to see just how much I could manipulate. Every time I get bored I go a little bigger. Last time, I created the game.” At the mention of his game his serious facade broke, much to Adrian’s relief. Even if he was a complete stranger a few short minutes ago, his distinct brand of crazy had begun to grow on them. As Keith’s eyes began to regain their usual sparkle, his hair began to float a little at the ends. Adrian blinked, stunned before lifting a shaky hand and pointing.

“Uh, Keith? Your hair is floating?” Their voice was steadier than they'd expected, almost deadpan. Keith blinked and his fingers sparked as he attempted to flatten down his hair. The sparky only served to send more of his hair into a floating mess, only tied together by the band holding his ponytail together. Adrian couldn’t help but laugh at the sight, even as their brain screamed that this wasn’t possible.

“Sorry, my magic gets away from me sometimes. I haven't had a chance to really tell anyone this before. It's exciting!” He chuckled as his fingers finally stopped sparking, and his hair settled down some. It still refused to lay flat, but now only the ends were floating. “The game is my greatest magical achievement to date. I connected dozens of versions of the same universe to this one, and created the Options.” At the mention of the options his smile dropped a little, his eyes dulled, and his hair drooped. It seemed like his spark had vanished, left almost ordinary.

“It takes incredible focus to create even one option for the game, and I've seen every mixture played out hundreds of times. I've seen every reaction. Even while creating the options I have an idea of what reactions they will cause, what paths they’ll create. Creating new options is too time consuming and it takes dozens to change anything. It isn't worth it, and that's where you come in.” Kevin looked up, and Adrian was drawn in by the sheer power and determination shining through his eyes. This wasn’t the easily excited man who had chugged an entire mug of tea, this was someone capable of things Adrian couldn’t imagine.

Adrian frowned and sat forward, suddenly nervous. None of this made sense, it was ridiculous. Yet the way his hair had floated, those sparks, they didn't seem fake.

“You called me a player, so I must have played the game, multiple times if what you said was true. What game was it?” Adrian played tons of games. Violent games, relaxing games, mindless games, anything they could get a hold of. If it was one of the more violent one's they weren't sure they wanted to have anything to do with his deal.

“Mystic Messenger!” His chest puffed out in pride as he crossed his arms behind his head and relaxed into the couch. Adrian relaxed the tiniest amount. It wasn't a particularly violent game, but some of the bad endings could be brutal. “So here’s the deal. I want take you from this world into one of the game worlds. You won’t be confined to a few simple options, you’ll be able to make your own decisions. In return, I’ll keep you safe and grant you a wish with my magic.” At this, Keith stood and summoned his staff. Adrian jumped up, almost knocking over their tea. They stared at the wizard, for there was no doubt now that he was indeed a wizard, and gulped. He smiled and turned to them and spoke with his typical cheer. “So, what do you say?”

Adrian closed their eyes and tried to calm their breathing. This was the break from their own boredom they had been waiting for, and yet they hesitated. They would be alone in a world they had no experience with. There was no guarantee any of the characters would like them, or even accept their gender.

“You said I get one wish right? Can I use that now?” Instantly Keith was bouncing on his feet, his hair flying up to float around him while his robes rippled and his fingers sparked. He was the spitting image of a kid given free range in a candy store. Even his voice seemed to shift up an octave in his excitement.

“Absolutely, whatever you need, it’s yours. Your wish is my command!” Adrian opened their eyes and sighed. They couldn’t exactly turn him down, this was the opportunity of a lifetime. They couldn’t abandon everyone though. They needed someone they knew they could rely on.

“Perfect. I have a friend I want to bring with me. She hasn’t played the game, but she’s my best friend. If she decides to come with me, I’ll go.” Adrian stuck out their hand for Keith to take, absolutely beaming. They would make a special spark indeed, and having a second spark would mix things up in ways Keith hadn’t begun to think of yet. So without hesitating, Keith took Adrian by the hand and lifted his staff. Drawing a circle in the air, purple sparks followed the end of his staff, solidifying into a swirling purple vortex. Turning to Adrian, he winked.

“Let’s go then shall we?” He stepped through, pulling Adrian behind him, and then they were gone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First chapter is up! It's been a while since I've written anything, but I'm rather proud of this. Sorry none of the cannon characters have come in yet, but we'll get there soon. I should be updating once every other week, usually on Fridays. So the 24th should be my next update date, but I'll try to push for the 17th if I have time. I hope you all enjoyed the chapter!


	2. The Second Spark

Emma's apartment was much cozier than Adrian's. The lights were off, but the fairy lights that lined every available surface filled the apartment with a soft glow, with blankets piled carefully into nests throughout the apartment. Emma was curled up in a pile that had been tucked away into a corner, surrounded by pillows. Her head was propped up on one as she watched a movie on her laptop, her cat Yatzy curled up next to her as he slept. At the sound of the soft pop that announced Adrian and Keith's arrival, she looked over her shoulder and screamed, causing Yatzy to jump up and dart away.

 

“ **WHO THE FUCK ARE YOU? GET THE FUCK OUT OF MY APARTMENT OR I'M CALLING THE FUCKING POLICE!”** Her laptop fell as she tried to stand, but the blankets refused to let go and sent her tumbling back down into the pile next to her neglected laptop. Adrian couldn’t help but snort softly at her grace as they stepped forward, but when Em jerked backwards they froze and rose their hands slowly.

 

“Heya Em, it’s Adrian, your best friend? I know I’m supposed to be off in America but I figured you’d at least remember what I looked like!” Adrian joked with nervous chuckle. “ Sorry I didn’t knock before I popped in. Mind if I sit?”  Em nodded, watching carefully as “Adrian” sat down. They certainly looked like their friend, but that was impossible. Adrian lived on a completely different continent and couldn’t keep a secret to save their life. Still, they had their shoulder length curly hair, the half rim glasses, the round feminine face that irritated them so much, and they were even wearing their favorite fox pajamas.

 

“If you’re Adrian then prove it. Do something only they would do right now.” Adrian’s face scrunched up in thought for a moment before they walked out of the room, leaving both Keith, who Emma had forgotten about completely, and Emma staring after them. Keith glanced at Em, who held his gaze with notable suspicion, until Keith looked away to follow Adrian out of the room. After he’d left Em cautiously stood up to to see what the two were planning, checking behind herself for any more unexpected visitors as she went.

 

Adrian made quick work of the living room, and by the time Em had entered they had draped blankets over the couch, set three fresh mugs of tea on Emma’s coffee table, and had started to set up mariokart for three players. Adrian was already snuggled into the blankets in the middle of the couch, and kept trying to throw more blankets onto Keith who was already seated on their left. He seemed to be ignoring the increasing weight of the blankets, instead glaring at his mug of tea with a mix of despair and curiosity.

 

“There you are Em! Sit down and grab a remote. We can deal with explanations in a minute, but you obviously need to relax first.” Emma stared at them for a moment, but what could it hurt to play just a round or two? Adrian always had some idea to help her relax when she got too wrapped up in something, why would this be any different? It was such an Adrian thing to do. She stepped towards the couch cautiously, and once she was within arms reach, Adrian grabbed her hand and pulled her onto the couch like they always did. Sitting up, Em relaxed a little and grabbed her tea while Adrian explained the controls to a confused Keith.

* * *

 

It wasn’t long before both Adrian and Emma were gaping at Keith, who had managed to go from an uncoordinated giraffe to actually winning races over the course of a few hours.

 

“I refuse to accept this. He _must_ be cheating. There’s no other way the idiot could be that good already.” Adrian whispered to Emma. Keith glanced over at the two and grinned as he snatched his cup and chugged the long cold tea. Emma and Adrian gagged at the sight while Keith burst out laughing.

 

“I think I actually might have preferred the burning one. Huh.” Keith grinned down at his mug as his laughter subsided. “Either way, we've got deals to make if you're ready now!” Despite the bubbly tone and blatant cheer rolling off the man, Emma couldn't help but gulp when he focused his attention on her.

 

Adrian's face shifted into an odd combination of anxiety and excitement. They desperately wanted to see what Keith could do and abandon this reality, but if Emma said no that was it. There was absolutely no way Adrian was going to abandon their best friend, so if Emma didn’t want to leave then they were stuck here. The three sat in silence for a moment before Keith nodded at Adrian, indicating they should explain. Adrian’s eyes widened, but they nodded and collected their thoughts for a moment in silence. They chose their words carefully, and when they spoke their voice was calm and unhurried.

 

“Keith and I met at my apartment about two hours ago. He knocked on my door and when I answered he claimed he was a wizard. I was bored and he didn’t seem dangerous so I invited him in. I figured if nothing else it’d be fun to listen to.” Adrian wouldn't look at Em, instead focusing on the TV, but their voice was tinged with excitement. “He claimed he created Mystic Messenger, the game I wanted you to download, and that all the choices we make in-game effect another universe where these people are real.” Saying it all aloud made it seem insane, even after all the floating and the teleportation. There was no chance that Emma would believe any of this, even coming from Adrian.

 

“I didn’t believe him at first, but as I spent more time around him little things started happening that made me believe him. When he got excited his hair would float, and his eyes seem to give off an unnatural spark.” Emma watched Keith carefully as Adrian spoke, but she couldn’t quite believe them. His eyes were an odd color sure, but contacts were a much more likely answer then magic. Adrian kept a careful eye on Em’s reaction as they continued,

 

“Working on a game is really slow and boring though, so he wants to take me and put me inside their universe. I wouldn't be stuck to a few simple choices. So we made a deal, that if you decide to come with me, I'll go, but if you stay, I will too.” Adrian's voice trembled as they spoke those last few words. They wanted to go so badly they could barely even breathe. It was the kind of childish dream they’d entertained when they were a child. Even with everything they would have to leave behind, right now Adrian just wanted to demand Keith teleport them whether Em agreed or not. It was so unbelievably selfish, and they knew they’d regret leaving their best friend behind. The two did everything together, and jumping worlds wouldn’t change that. It was painfully obvious to them that none of this would be worth leaving their friend, so no matter how much they wanted to, they wouldn't leave without Em.

 

For Emma finding a reason to leave wasn’t difficult, all she had to do was look at Adrian's face to know all the reasons she should leave. She wasn't sure she believed Keith could really do what he claimed, but she couldn't seem to reject the possibility either. Adrian claimed he had taken them from America to Europe in a matter of seconds, and while both of them could be rather gullible, that would be hard to fake. If she left with Adrian she'd be losing her family and all her friends, but that wasn't much of a loss anymore. She hadn't spoken to her family in over a year, and she'd been drifting apart from most of her friends. She and Adrian had been planning to move to another country together anyway.

 

Logic didn’t seem to relieve her anxiety at all. She had no idea where she’d be going or what to expect. Adrian and Keith would be the only people she could rely on there, and if something went wrong she wouldn’t have anything to fall back on. There was no going back from this decision.

 

“Why is your life like this? Why is _my_ life like this? I just wanted to watch a movie and enjoy my weekend, but you decided to invite over the first stranger who claimed he had magic.” Emma’s voice shook with hysterical laughter. This was insane, there was no way any of this could be happening. Yet here she was sitting on her couch between a man who claimed to be a wizard and her best friend, trying make a decision that would change her entire life.

 

Adrian grabbed Em by the shoulders and pulled her close. They rubbed her back and muttered soft apologies as she shook. The two sat like that for a while as Keith watched from the other end of the couch, unnerved. He was used to watching scenes like this from the outside, but it didn’t feel the same when he was here. The emotions were stronger, more real, and he wanted to stop them. He had always preferred happy endings, but he saw suffering as the struggle that defined the happy ending. This was new, and he wasn’t sure what to do anymore.

 

So he turned away silently, refusing to look or interact with the scene in front of him. He would let the two have their moment, however long it would last.

* * *

 

The sun had begun to set by the time the two pulled apart. Emma was much calmer now that she’d sorted through her emotions, and as she pulled a blanket around her she sighed softly. “I don’t know why this decision is so hard for me. I’m not leaving much behind, and you’re my best friend. I guess I’m just nervous about making such a big change when I don’t know what to expect. Most games have big plot twists and dangers, and I doubt this one is any different.”

 

Adrian leaned back into the couch as Emma spoke, listening carefully to her concerns. As she finished, silence reigned for a few moments as Adrian carefully chose their words. They spoke quietly, but their voice was firm when they responded. “Emma, I’d like for you to come with me. It’s a huge change, and it could be dangerous if we don’t play our cards right, but this is an opportunity we’re never going to get again. It’s not a walk in the park, but it is a dating game and I know the story inside and out. We can use my knowledge to decide what to do together, and make a plan of action. It won’t be easy, but you won’t be alone.”

 

Emma was silent for a moment as she leaned back, but when she spoke only the barest tremor remained in her voice. “I’ll try my best then, for both of us. I’ll go.”

 

That was all Keith needed to hear. Instantly he was on his feet as his magic sparked around him like a campfire, creating beautiful swirls as it danced through the air. His hair drifted upwards despite still being tied in a ponytail, the ends reaching up to catch a few stray sparks that continued to shine like stars even after they had settled into his hair. The lines on his robes began to move, twisting around each other in their excitement into an incomprehensible design. He lifted his right arm into the air and summoned his staff, the golden vines growing, twisting downward across the dark wood. The deep violet crystal on top of the staff began to glow as the fog cleared away, revealing hundreds of pinpricks of lights shining as they rotated around a bright spot at the center of the sphere.

 

It was an impressive display of power that had both Adrian and Emma gaping, yet Keith remained unbothered as he summoned a portal through a simple gesture with his staff. Purple and gold swirled gently into existence in the center of the room, causing Keith to lower his arm and stride forward. He turned towards his two new sparks with a confident, excited grin as he gestured wildly at the portal.

 

“Well, come on then you two! You’ve got a whole new world to explore!” Keith was bouncing on the balls of his feet, hair flying wildly in the mix of movement and anti-gravity. “You’ve got so much to do!

With my help of course, you’ll be able to ask me for anything at any time. Oh!” He snapped his fingers

“This is so exciting! Two fresh sparks ready to take on another reality and make their own happy endings, with my help of course!” Keith held out one hand and snapped, causing a shower of golden sparks to erupt in his palm, revealing two phones stacked carefully on top of each other. The top one was a plain black that shined with dark blue sparkles where the light hit it, while the other was white with similar green sparkles. Keith handed the black one to Emma and the white one to Adrian before he spoke again. “You can use these to contact me anytime, and to access the messenger once it’s installed.”

 

Adrian carefully inspected theirs, brushing their fingers gently over the case before turning the phone on. The screen flashed with digital sparks as it started up, causing them to grin. “I am calling them spark phones and there is literally nothing you can do to stop me.” Em, who had been holding her phone as if it might burn her at any moment, jumped at the sound of Adrian’s voice and dropped it. She gave them a look of utter betrayal before grumbling to herself as she bent to pick up her phone.

 

“Oh, don’t worry about testing the durability Em, the spark phones should be basically indestructible. You won’t have to worry about battery life or reception either!” Emma glared at Keith, uncertain if he was mocking her or not but ready to put her phone through his skull either way. Adrian glanced between the two and carefully stepped between them before trying to change the subject.

 

“Why do you call us sparks anyway Keith?” Adrian had noticed it a couple of times, but Keith seemed surprised they had asked.

 

“You and Emma are going to be brand new characters in an old story. You two are going to spark change in their world. Once you step through the portal you won’t be players anymore, confined to a few options, you’ll be sparks of change.” Keith’s smile softened at the edges as he spoke, caught up in his imagination, before he shook his head and gestured at the portal again. “You two should be ready to go then. It should be early morning pretty soon over there, so we can go anytime now.”

 

“Wait, let me pack quick!” Adrian watched as Em dashed back to her room, slightly ashamed they hadn’t thought to pack anything themselves. It was only a minute or two later that Em came back out with a duffle bag on her shoulder and her dark grey cat Yatzy in her arms.

 

Keith stared at the cat with wide eyes and slowly reached towards the cat with his free hand. “Can I pet him?” he asked quietly, glancing up at a bewildered and amused Em. She nodded and he slowly began stroking the cat, who seemed to be enjoying the attention.

 

Adrian cleared their throat and Keith jumped to attention, blushing heavily at his distraction. “Right, uhm, yes well if that’s it we should be ready to go? Right uh, just step through the portal here like this and uh.” Keith fumbled with his staff as he attempted to hide his face with his staff. He stepped through the portal and disappeared, leaving Adrian and Emma laughing hysterically.

 

“Come on Em, we can’t let him escape. Pffft did you see his face? We _have_ to go after him.” Adrian took a running leap at the portal, leaving Em alone in the apartment to collect herself before she finally stepped through herself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this chapter took longer then expected, I don't even have any excuses, I was just slow. We get to meet the RFA next chapter and Adrian and Emma start to settle in for a bit. There will be some character development and bonding before anything major happens, so it might slow down a little, but it shouldn't be too bad.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! Leave a kudos or a comment if you liked it. I'll try to update every other Friday if I can!


End file.
